Improving pace runnin

RoadkingDavid
RoadkingDavid Posts: 143 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone know of a good app or training program to improve my 5k time? I have run one 5k and ran it in 31:53. I am 51, 6'2" and 212 lbs. I run 3 times per week, work out at the gym with weights, and throw in some spinning intervals when I can. I'd live to get under 30:00 for my next 5k, unscheduled.

Replies

  • luvmypwds
    luvmypwds Posts: 81 Member
    I don't know about an app, but I can tell you that the best way to improve your 5K time is some time on the track doing intervals. Or if a track is not feasible, intersperse your training runs with some bursts of higher intensity segments. Eg. warm up for 1k, then run 3 minutes hard, 1 minute easy or walk, repeat 5x, cool down. It would be very helpful to have a HRM.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    How far are you currently running?
  • RoadkingDavid
    RoadkingDavid Posts: 143 Member
    Workout 1:
    Walk 5 min
    Run 30 sec at almost a sprint
    Walk 30 sec
    Repeat for 20 min
    Walk 10 min
    Run a 11:00 pace 3.1 miles
    Walk 5 min

    Total between 5-6 miles
  • cyndispot
    cyndispot Posts: 135 Member
    The Run Double C25k app has a pace improver in it...I think it's like $1.60 to buy C25k and then about that to buy the additional app. I don't know if you have to get the primary program first or not, but I know they have a 5k improver on it.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    I don't know about an app, but I can tell you that the best way to improve your 5K time is some time on the track doing intervals.

    ^^this.

    It's easy to plateau on your 5k running pace if all you do is endurance runs. The best way for beginner runners to get used to running faster is to do some interval runs in addition to your endurance runs. In very very general terms, the intervals will help you get used to running faster and the endurance runs will allow you to keep running longer.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Workout 1:
    Walk 5 min
    Run 30 sec at almost a sprint
    Walk 30 sec
    Repeat for 20 min
    Walk 10 min
    Run a 11:00 pace 3.1 miles
    Walk 5 min

    Total between 5-6 miles

    How often are you doing that?

    I think you likely need to have one longer run each week - so extend that up to a higher distance.

    And then you want to work those intervals, using the mcmillans calculator to determine what your intervals should look like.

    Is this the Galloway schedule? Cause I don't know it, really, I've not done the run walk thing since C25, but I suspect for the distance you're doing, there's perhaps a bit too much walking in there? I don't know....
  • theresmynapkin
    theresmynapkin Posts: 183 Member
    Work on distance, and the speed will come on its own. I promise. As well as doing intervals and tempo runs. An app that is specifically interval training is Run, Zombies! for, I believe Android, iPhone, and Windows phones.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    Over Memorial Day weekend the Jeff Galloway Easy 5K app was free so I downloaded it. It has a setting for training up to run your first 5K and another to improve your 5K time. You tell it what your normal 5K pace is and it figures stuff based on that. It analyzes your music for BPM and plays music that should match your pace. It's three runs a week - one 30 minute run, one intervals day (400m repeats working up from 4 to 12) and a long run that works up to 7 miles by the end. My previous best 5K was 25:31. I did a "practice 5K" after I finished this program and ran a 24:03. It's nothing you couldn't do on your own but I was really pleased with the structure and the results. I also thought it was really cool that it played music to set your pace. It also includes a "race companion" workout to play while you're running your race.

    ETA: you can set run/walk intervals or you can set it to "just run". which is what I did.
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